Despite having won two silver medals at the 2015 World Championships, New Zealander Lauren Boyle wound up not finaling at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Now back in her home nation training under new High Performance squad coach Jerry Olszweski, Boyle reveals she will be opting out of next week’s National Championships due to a nagging injury.
Talking to Radio NZ recently, Boyle says that she had suffered a hip injury, which was present in Rio, and has troubled the athlete still since returning to the pool last October.
“A labrum tear in my hip joint has impacted my training intensity and volume but I thought I would get to Nationals despite that,” said Boyle.
“I haven’t missed a national championship since 2009 so it’s a big deal to me not to compete. The fact is, at Rio I got away with the once in one lifetime cortisone shot to the hip that I could have, and it’s proven harder to deal with now.
“Coming to terms with pain, injury, and uncertainty I guess, happens but it’s not just a ‘bounce back’. The injury has to be managed and the help I’m getting now is good.”
Even though Boyle will not be one of the approximately 230 swimmers competing at the New Zealand National Championships that begin on Monday, her country’s World Championship selection team has allowed Boyle’s race times in Rio to be considered for Budapest.